Sunday, December 30, 2012

Many people love to have fresh cut flowers in their home. A few blooms can brighten up a room or a mood, or can bring sunshine to a gloomy day. Some people who bring fresh cut flowers into their homes are interested in more than something pretty to admire. They want their flowers to be a multi-sensory experience and fill a room with their scent. If you want flowers with a powerful fragrance that lasts, below are a few flowers to choose and tips to extend the life of their fragrance.

Lavender is a very calming fragrance. Many people use the oils from the plant in diffusers or as aromatherapy to reduce stress and help induce sleep. The plant itself as well as its blue blossoms give off a distinct scent that lasts for a long time.

Hyacinth

If you enjoy the scent of lavender, but are interested in a less subtle blossom, consider bringing hyacinth into your home. Its scent is similar to the scent of lavender, but it grows clusters of flowers in several colors. They are most often seen in white, blue, or pink.

Roses

Roses are, without a doubt, the most popular cut flower. They evoke feelings of romantic love or friendship, and are always a popular gift on Mother's Day. Unfortunately many commercial florists are beginning to select roses for their size rather than their scent, but if you look for heirloom roses, you will find the musky and spicy scent associated with roses. You can find roses in a variety of colors, including pink, red, and yellow. You can also find beautiful variegated varieties.

Peonies

Peonies have a subtle citrusy scent and liven up any space. Their blossoms are available in white and many different shades of pink. Look for them to bloom in the early summer.

Lilac

Lilacs have a wonderful scent that, unfortunately, does not last long. They also do not survive long in vases. However, people who grow lilac bushes in their yards love the distinctive scent that fills their gardens in the spring.

To help the cut flowers in your home retain their scent for as long as possible, there are a few things you can do. When you bring your flowers home, prepare them properly for a vase. Remove all leaves that would be underwater in the vase. Run water over the stems as you cut them at an angle. Cutting the stems at an angle increases the cut stem surface area so that the flowers can access more water. Place your cut flowers into a vase of lukewarm water and change the water every couple of days. Keep your vase away from sunlight and fruit, both of which can hasten flower decay.

If you love the scent of fresh cut flowers in your home, choose blooms with a long-lasting scent that you love. Be sure to get your flowers locally, as imported varieties are sprayed with chemicals that inhibits their smell and longevity. Interflora Flowers is one of the worlds biggest online flower shops, and they seem to have some of the best prices for that last minute order!